Vehicle wheel



E. LANDON March 29, 1927.

VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Mayl'?, 1926 III:

ado/mu,

Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELVIE LANDON, OF WATERLOO, IOWA.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

`Application filed May 17,

My invention relates to improvements in vehicle wheels, and particularly to the carrying wheels ot motor driven vehicles, and the object ot my improvements is to supply a wheel ot this type with a plurality ot movable tread members operatively connected to air compressing devices, whereby, while the wheel is cushioned peripherally, the oscillations engendered in the connected parts may `be utilized tor the storage ot power.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination, and in the arrangement ot parts, as also in the details ot construction, hereinatter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment ot invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope ot what is claimed without departing trom the spirit ot the invention.

In the annexed drawings,`Fig. 1 is a side elevation ot a vehicle wheel constructed according to my invention, with a communieating air storage vessel, parts ot both devices being broken away or removed. Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation on a larger scale ot part ot said wheel, with the air compressor shown in central longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a cross section ot one ot the tread members taken on the broken line 3-3 ot said Fig. 1, lookind in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 4 is a detail central cross section ot the air gathering chamber on the wheel, taken on the same scale as said Fig. 2.

The body ot the vehicle wheel shown is substantially that ot amotor vehicle carryingvwheel having radiating spokes 2 trom a central hub 1, and carrying on the outer ends ot the spokes the metal rimmed telly 3. Air-compressor cylinders 5 ota simple construction are mounted between the spokes 2 and have lugs 6 tastened to the telly by bolts 7. The outer centrally apertured head `ot each cylinder 5 has its aperture in registration with an alined aperture 4 traversing the telly radially, and an impert-orate piston 8 in the cylinder has its stem 9 movable through said registering apertures t0 project outwardly ot the telly, terminating outwardly in a cross-pintle carrying on each end an anti-trict'ion roller 13. The numeral 10 denotes an outer tread member, arcuate con- 1926, Serial No. 109,738.

centrically with the wheel, segmentally cooperating with the others like it independently movably surrounding said telly circumterentially. There may be any desired number ot the members 10. I have shown six ot them whereby each tread member is linked operatively to a pair ot adjacent compressor pistons 8 by means ot said stems 9 and their end rollers 13. This pivotal connection ot each stem 9 is effected by providing near each end ot a member 10 in its inner tace a constrictcd opening 12 which terminates outwardly in a wider opening 11. The rollers 13 extend rotatably across the wider opening 11 and are retained therein tor to and tro movements ot the stem 9 along and through the opening 12 to a limited extent according tothe oscillations ot the tread member relative to the wheel.

Upon the outer tread periphery ot each member 10 is secured a segmental metal rim 27 ot the clincher' type to seat and mount securely thereon a segmental solid rubber tire member 2S. Cylindrical studs 15 are fixed upon opposite side taces ot the members 10, one on each side tace, positioned at opposite end parts ot the member, as indicated by dotted lines in F ig. 1. As will be seen in the said ligure, a projecting pressure finger 14 is fixed on the adjacent end ot the near tread member 10 on the same side to cross their interspace and overlie in contact the stud 15 on the ott or other paired tread member.` O n one tace ot the tread members on the same side ot the wheel all the fingers 14 project in the same direction circumterentially, while on the opposite side taces ot these members 10 all the fingers 14 project in an opposite direction circumterent-ially to overlie and contact with other studs 15 on the paired members ends. The fingers are preferably tilt-ed slightly inwardly toward the contacting studs 15.

Beterring now to Figs. 2 and 4, the cylinder 5 is provided in its inner head with an inlet-valve 17, and with an outlet valve `16, both ot the return check type. A conduit 18 leads trom the outlet-valve to and into a drum-shaped gathering chamber 19 positioned centrally over the wheel, and mounted thereon iXedly. The drum or chamber 19 has in its outer tace an apertured or tubular nipple surrounded by a spaced concentric sleeve 29 which has a terminal `outer annulus. A. hollow cap 21 has an inturned rim mounted about the annulus on the sleev 29 loosely enough to permit the latter to rotate within it freely, while the interspace of the said nipple and said sleeve with said cap is filled with a packing or air-sealing ring or gasket 20 ott rubber or other .suit-able material. A flexible hose 2:2 is connected to the cap 21 and leads and delivers into a tank 23 mounted on a trame or other part 24 adjacent to the wheel. The tank has an outlet-pipe 2G governed by a cock 25, and said pipe may lead to or deliver to any appliance using compressed air.

it will he seen that when the wheel which is shown as notunder load and with all the 1 ead members 10 projected outwardly, is placed under load and rotated, that the particular tread member below the wheel in rotating with the wheel, by means of the ierward projection 14 thereon will press upon the stur 15 on the member 10 ahead Aand as the wheel seeks its lowest level under load, that the tread member ahead is also influenced by said member below, in keeping or attaining such relative positions to the wheel, that the pistons 8 in both pairs oi cylinders related tothe two tread members will assume upper positions in the cylinders as the cylinders are displaced downwardly with the wheel. Y

This action will be repeated in succession with all the tread members as the wheel rolls ahead, or in the reverse order in backing up. Air is compressed and driven in and from each cylinder through its valve outlet 16 into the conduit 18 and gathering chamber 19. rlfhe latter receives the successive increments from the cylinders, and air under a constant pressure hence escapes by way ot the hose 22 to the tank 23, for storage.

The solid rubber tire parts 2S cushion the members 10, and as the members 10 and the pistons S return against some air pressure in the cylinders, they are additionally cushioned by this means, so that the wheel is yieldingly supported against shocks.

Having described my invention, what I i claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: j

` 1. ln combination, a wheel having an apertured telly and tread members positioned concentricallyv around it,y :closed cylinders mounted around thewtheel, each"I cylinder havingone apertured,liead an'd ,witlijvalvecontrolled inletand' Ioutlet-portsi 'its opposite head, ,an iinpeni'oi'atey piston in .each cylinder I with stem l,projecting. through `its apertured` head and terminally loosely com iiected to a tread member, a gathering chamber having an outlet-portland hating coniunmicaions with thereunder:orale-ports, aleserroir, unimaas. Of @enumeration be tween said reservoir and the outlet-port off saidga'theiing chamber.

tured telly and tread members positioned concentrically around it, each tread member having a longitudinal bearing cavity opening toward a telly aperture by way ot a transversely narrowed neck, closed cylinders mounted around the wheel, each cylinder having in its outer head an aperture registering with an aperture in said telly, an impertorate piston in each piston with stem traversing` said registering apertures outwardly and having terminal anti-friction rollers mounted in said tread member bearing cavity to roll lengthwise thereof, the inner head of each cylinder having valve-controlled inletand outlet-ports, a centrally disposed hollow gathering chamber mounted on said wheel and having an outlet-conduit coaxial with the wheel, said chamber having circumferentially positioned inlet-ports, means ot communication between said inletports and the outlet-ports of said cylinders, a reservoir having a valve-controlled delivery device, and a flexible conduit opening into said reservoir and having a receiving connection with the outlet-conduit ot said gathering-chamber including a stuiiing box joint permitting relative rotation of the said chamber and wheel.

3. In combination, a wheel having an apertured telly and elastically tired tread-meinbers positioned movably around it, said tread-members each having bearing-cavities near each end opposite a pair of the telly apertures, cylinders arranged around the wheel containing pistons having stems traversing the telly apertures, the outer terminals of the stems having heads seated in the bearing-cavities ot the tread-members :tor longitudinal movements therein to couple a pair of the cylinders with the tread-member opposite, said cylinders having valvecontrolled inletand outlet-ports, and a reservoir having means of communication with the outlet-ports of said cylinders, said means including a loose joint with stuffingbox permitting rotation of the wheel relative to the reservoir.

4. In combination, a wheel having an apertured telly and tread-"members lpositioned mova'bly.' around it, said tread-members each having terminal projections on each side to overlap the abutting ends of adjacent', treadmembers, with the projections on one side projected ,'oppositely to ,the projections 'on the otherside, said*tread-members having lug stops",l on' opposite sides beico'ntactedby the inner" edges ot- 'said'l projections:whereiny"H radi al `inward movement ot' member may becommunicatedfto lthe member ahead" in the direction oit' rotation'of tlie',wlieel tread-members having be'al @sentinelle their. inset faces. -Pnoft aperturesin said telly, cylinders arranged around the wheel withinthefelly, pistons in Said ,Cylinders-havineieteiesljtaraiesi.the

ielly apertures and with terminal heads in said hearing-cavities interlooked movably therewith for lengthwise relative movements therein, said cylinders having both inletand 5 outlet-ports, eontrolling-valves in said ports,

a chamber in communication with said outlet-ports, and a storage reservoir mounted without the Wheel having means of communication with the axial center of said chamber, including a loose connection with stufng- 10 box permitting rotation of the Wheel relative to said means of communication.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

ELVIE LANDON. 

